Steam-engine.



N0. 658,20I. Patented Sept. I8, |900. F. H. F. l).y BALL.

STEAM ENGINE..

(Application med-Jaa. ab, 1900:,

WITNEESES/M/DL INVENTURS.- 7W BYWQM/ A ATTDRNEY ,THE Nonms Pinzas co., Prmmumo.. WASHINGTON. n c.

NTED STATES PATENT OFF-TCE.

FRANK I-I. BALL AND FREDERICK O. BALL, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

STEAIVI-ENGINE.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 658,201, dated'September 18,

Application filed January 30, 1900. erial No. 3,352.. (No model.)

T0 all whom. it may concern.:

Be it known that we, FRANK H. BALL and FREDERICK O. BALL, citizens of the United States, residing at Plainfield, in the county of Somerset and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam-Engines; and we do hereby declare the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to steam-engines; and it consists in certain improvements in the construction thereof, as will be hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

More particularly our invention relates to compound engines, and it is especially adapti ed to compound engines the cylinders of which are set side by side and which operate upon a common cross-head. This style of compound engine we have termed a duplexcompound engine.

The invention is illustrated in the accom` low-pressure cylinder;V C, the steam-chest,`

and C the valve-chest.

The cylinders A and B are arranged side by side in cross compound relation.

The valve Eis of cylindrical shape, and the valve-chest is also cylindrical.

The pistons D D', having the usual piston mechanism, are attached to the common crosshead D2.

Steam enters at A', moves around the highpressure cylinder and the passage A2, and enters the valve-chest through a port a. The central or high-pressure part of the valve E comprises the walls e e, which form the chamber e. Leading from the valve-chest are the ports a a', which extend to the ends of the high pressure cylinder. The valve-chest, except at the ports, forms a steam fit with the walls c. The Walls e are so arranged relatively to the ports a a that the chamber e is in constant communication with the port o. and is brought alternately into communication with the ports ct as the Valve is reciprocated. The walls e are also so arranged relatively to the ports cz ct as to uncover the ports ct at the side out of communication with the chamber c at each trav erse of the valve. The outerends or lowpressure portion of the valve comprise the walls e2 c2, which are of the size of the valvechest, and the intermediate smaller portions, which extend to the Walls c. This forms the chamber e3 between the walls e and e2. These chambers are in constant communication with the ports a2, which ports lead into the steam-chest. These chambers e3 are alternately brought into communication with the ports a', so that they form means of communication between the ports ct and the steamchest through the port a2. These chambers c3 are also alternately brought into communication with the ports a3, so that a means of communication between the steam-chest and low-pressure cylinder is effected through the port a2, chamber e3, and port c3. The outer ends of the valve-chest communicate with the final exhaust-ports a4, and the ends of the valve pass alternately over the ports as, thus connecting the low-pressure cylinder through the ports a3 with the exhaust. The ports 0,4 communicatethrough a passage a5 with the exhaust portion of the steam-chest c2.

In operation steam enters by the port a, passes through the chamber e', port a' to the high-pressure cylinder. At the same time the opposite port a is exhausting through the chamber e3 and port a2 into the steam portion c' of the steam-chest. Steam passes'from the steam-chest through the port a2, chamber e3, and port a3 to the lowpressu-re cylinder Iat the same end as that to which steam is being delivered to the high-pressure cylinder. Steam exhausts from the low-pressure cylinder through the port a3 by the end of the valve-chest, port a4, passage a5, and exhaustchamber c2.

The valve-chest preferably has the openings c3 opposite each port, through which access may be had to the valve-chamber, and these openings are closed by a valve-chest cover C2. The steam-chest is provided with a cover c, which incloses both the steam- IOO chambers c and the exhaust-chamber c2. The ends of the valve-chest are provided with the covers c4.

What we claim as new isl. In a compound engine, the combination of the high and low pressure cylinders arranged in cross compound relation; double acting piston mechanism therefor; a common cross-head for said piston mechanism; a cyinders; a single piston-valve for controlling the flow of steam to and from the high and low pressure cylinders and to and from said receiver.

3. In a compound engine, the combination of the high and low pressure cylinders; piston mechanism therefor; a common crosshead for said piston mechanism; a cylindrically-shaped valve-chest having the ports, a, leading to the steam inlet or port, ports a', ct, leading to the high-pressure cylinder, ports, a2, a2, leading to the steam chest or receiver and ports, a3, a3, leading to the low-pressure cylinder; the valve, E, vhaving the walls, e and e2 thereon, forming the chambers, e and e3, in the relation to said ports, as described.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

FRANK I-I. BALL. FREDERICK O. BALL. Vitnesses:

HOWARD I. BRAMPTON, RoBT. T. BRAMPTON. 

